Choy Ka Fai is a Berlin-based, Singaporean artist whose visionary practice centers on the cosmological power of dance. Operating at the intersection of visual anthropology, technology, and performance, his multidisciplinary work transcends conventional boundaries to speculate on realities beyond the human.
In 2019, Ka Fai initiated CosmicWander, a seminal inquiry into Asian shamanic dance practices. Synthesizing rigorous field research and choreographic exploration, the project debuted with a solo exhibition at the Singapore Art Museum in 2021, alongside the virtual reality experience Blue Sky Academy at tanzhaus nrw, Düsseldorf. Key iterations within this ongoing cycle include Postcolonial Spirits (Tanz im August, 2021), which utilizes telepresence technology to transmit a Javanese trance dance to global audiences, and Yishun Is Burning (Tanzplattform Deutschland, 2022), an evocative work exploring queer voguing and digital avatarism. Expanding this trajectory, his 2026 short film Sound of Prayer ventures into the Himalayas and the psychophysical landscapes of Vajrayana Buddhism.
Parallel to this cosmological trajectory is SoftMachine: The Return (2015–2025), the culmination of a decade-long documentary project tracing the evolving lives of four Asian dance-makers. Reuniting with long-term collaborators, the performance deeply interrogates themes of friendship, resilience, and creative legacy. Functioning as a corporeal archive, SoftMachine transforms years of documentary footage and personal histories into a living repository of dance that extends far beyond the traditional stage.
Ka Fai's performance works have been commissioned and presented by major institutions globally, including Tanz im August (Berlin), Stary Teatr (Kraków), and Kyoto Experiment (Japan). His ongoing expansion into the visual arts has been featured prominently at Haus der Kulturen der Welt (Berlin), the Biennale of Sydney, and the Singapore Art Museum. A former resident artist at tanzhaus nrw and Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Ka Fai holds an M.A. in Design Interactions from the Royal College of Art, London.
